BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks rallied on Tuesday, with higher oil prices and a solid earnings update from heavyweight BP helping boost sentiment.
Meanwhile, the pound fell against its counterparts after a closely watched business survey showed that activity in the U.K. service sector slowed last month amid Brexit uncertainty.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 81 points or 1.15 percent at 7,115 in opening deals after rising 0.2 percent in the previous session.
BP Plc soared 4.2 percent after it swung to a profit in the fourth quarter of 2018 and lifted dividend.
RhythmOne jumped 3.8 percent, a day after Taptica announced the acquisition of the company for $176 million in an all-stock deal.
Metro Bank rallied 2.4 percent though it had been hit by a fraud.
Tansport group FirstGroup dropped 1.6 percent on reports that it is selling one of its largest regional bus divisions.
Indivior shares fell nearly 11 percent after an unfavorable U.S. court ruling in a case related to its best-selling opioid addiction drug Suboxone.
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